1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for producing plastic data bearing cards such as credit cards. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for producing information bearing cards having a graphic design printed thereon which may be varied according to input from a system controller.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A great demand exists in contemporary society for information bearing plastic cards such as credit cards or magnetically encoded cards for use with automatic teller machines (ATMs). Many such cards come with a standardized design thereon which is modified by individual banking institutions, who often seek to place their logos or other identification thereon. These are but only a few of the many examples of the need for being able to transfer images to such items.
Various systems and methods have heretofore existed for transferring images to relatively thick, flexible, non-porous materials such as plastic cards. One example is the use of offset lithography, which is most commonly used in forming the initial design of the cards. Yet another method is the use of hot stamping in conjunction with embossing foils. In addition to other problems, these methods are not sufficiently flexible, because it is very time consuming and expensive to re-tool these systems so as to be able to transfer a different or modified image to the surface of an item.
While thermal printers have been used to create graphics images on paper and the like, they have not been very efficient in transferring images to relatively thick, flexible and non-porous items such as plastic cards. See for example for U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,850 which is commonly assigned with the present application, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,350 to Dorner. Commonly assigned pending applications, Ser. Nos. 235,830 and 937,602 filed Aug. 18, 1988 and Dec. 3, 1986, respectively, disclose thermal printers for printing on plastic items. Ser. No. 235,830 is a continuation of Ser. No. 905,288, which was filed Sept. 8, 1986.
Numerous problems encountered by these various thermal printers when printing on plastic cards include the lack of uniformity in the transfer of ink to the surface of the plastic card, which results in a non-uniform image. The images so derived are often not satisfactory for graphics purposes. The present invention solves these problems and other problems associated with existing systems.